Winter Chills for Chili!

I’m going to throw myself out there and be completely honest- I am a sucker for visual marketing. I caught a glimpse of a movie that always amused me in my teenage years and the minute that happened, I was sucked in.  The Parent Trap (with Lindsay Lohan before she ended up as a crack-head) is filled with wonderful culinary novelties like Oreo’s and Peanut Butter, delicious large breakfasts that will set your heart racing and finally Cornbread and Chili. Hearing the words “Cornbread and Chili” made me react like a dog to a fine tuned whistle.

With that said, I decided to make cornbread and chili for the first time ever…from scratch…with my very own recipe. You know when you decide to take on a new hobby and halfway through your adrenaline fails and you wonder if the scrap-booking or knitting is really going to work? That’s how I felt with the chili. However, I am proud to report that it was a great success and I can hardly wait to taste it tomorrow (soup and chili is always better the next day).

If this post has served as a visual marketing and you decide to make the chili, I have two things to say; One, my post has served its purpose; and two, make sure you get enough chili powder!

Ingredients:
CHILI
-1/2 green bell pepper
-2 lbs ground sirloin beef
-1 chopped onion
-2 minced garlic cloves
-2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
-1/4 tbs oregano
-1 1/2 tbs salt
-1 tsb crushed red pepper
-4 tbs chili powder
-3 (14.5oz) cans pinto beans
-5 cups of water

CORNBREAD 
-1 box JIFFY corn muffin mix
-1 egg
-1/3 cup milk

Steps:
1. Follow the steps on the back of the JIFFY box and let the cornbread sit aside while you make the chili
2. Place the chopped onion, green pepper and minced garlic in a deep pot with the extra virgin olive oil
3. Let the vegetables sautee for a few minutes then add the ground beef and brown it evenly

4. Use a thin metal colander to drain the excess fat out of the meat
5. Place the meat back into the same pot and add the rest of the chili ingredients
6. Let the chili cook on a medium-low heat while stirring it every now and then
***If too much water evaporates, simply add more water and seasonings to maintain the bold taste

Enjoy!